Piazza delle Erbe (Market Square), Verona (must see)

Market Square stands on Verona’s former Roman forum, the center of civic and commercial life in antiquity. Its later name, “Square of Herbs”, recalls the long-running market where spices, produce, and household goods were traded. A weekday market still operates here from Monday to Saturday, continuing that historic role.

At the center of the square stands Madonna Verona, a Roman statue dating to the 4th century AD, set atop a fountain from 1368. Surrounding the piazza is a mix of structures that show how the area evolved after the Roman period. On the north side are the Mazzanti Houses, decorated with 14th-century frescoes, and the base of the Lamberti Tower, which rises behind the buildings and is accessible through a nearby courtyard.

On the northwest edge stands the Maffei Palace, a Baroque residence updated in the 17th century. Its façade is lined with statues of Hercules, Apollo, Minerva, Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter. Shops now occupy the ground floor. Close by are the archaeological remains of the Roman Capitolium, marking the site of Verona’s main Roman temple.

The south side features the House of the Merchants and the Capitello, a 13th-century structure once used for public proclamations. To the west is the Gardello Tower, restored in the 14th century and known for one of Verona’s earliest mechanical clocks. Through the archway at the eastern end, the square connects directly to Signori Square, where the historic Town Hall and the Palace of the Judges are located.

Today, Market Square remains active and walkable, with cafés and market stalls set among some of Verona’s most significant buildings.